Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Apr 1985
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1985aj.....90..655h&link_type=abstract
Astronomical Journal (ISSN 0004-6256), vol. 90, April 1985, p. 655-667.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
35
Astrometry, Neptune Atmosphere, Occultation, Planetary Rings, Astronomical Photometry, Atmospheric Temperature, Temperature Distribution, Neptune, Observations, Occultations, Astronomy, Rings, Distance, Radius, Astrometry, Analysis, Pressure, Oblateness, Shape, Rotation, Period, Mass, Quadrupole Moment, Pole Position, Atmosphere, Thermal Properties, Temperature, Latitude, Altitude, Absorption
Scientific paper
Observations of eight Neptune occultations from six sites in the southwestern Pacific on June 15, 1983. The data were used to search for evidence of rings around Neptune down to a distance of 0.03 Neptune radii from the planetary surface, but the results were negative. An astrometric analysis of the timings yielded solution for the equatorial radius a(0) of Neptune at 1 microbar pressure and the oblatness e at this level. The results are: a(0) = 25,295 + or - 50 km; e = 0.022 + or - 0.004, from which a value for a(1) (equatorial radius at 1 bar pressure) of 24,830 + or - 100 km; and a rotation period of P = 15 h (+3, -2 h) is derived. These results are based on a recent determination of Neptune's pole position and mass quadruple moment, and are consistent with the hypothesis that Neptune and Uranus have homologous mass distributions, although the constraint on interior structure is a weak one. If the probable uncertainty of the pole position is taken into account, error bars on e and derived quantities should be increased by about 50 percent. The present determinations of Neptune atmospheric temperatures at 1 microbar are consistent with earlier results and when combined with all previous data give an average value of 156 + or - 10 K. There is only slight evidence for any latitude dependence in the temperatures. Profiles with a high signal-to-noise ratio suggest the possible presence of an absorbing layer at altitudes higher than the 1-microbar level.
Avey H. P.
Carter Brandon
Frecker J. E.
Fu Haixiang
Gehrels J.-A.
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